1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an enhanced cover arrangement for a computer, for example, a deskside personal computer, and in particular, to an enhanced cover arrangement encasing and fastened to a computer frame with no visible means of attachment.
2. Background Information
Frames or other enclosures are often used to house the various components of a computer. For example, circuit boards of the computer may be located within a metal frame to provide a shield from external electrical influences, to protect the circuit boards from being damaged by forces during movement, and to provide support for the circuit boards so that the circuit boards are properly positioned relative to each other for cooling, electrical connection and ventilation purposes.
However, such frames are generally not very aesthetically pleasing. For example, the frame may be provided with various air passages to allow for a cooling air to pass therethrough to cool the electrical components located within the frame. These air passages are generally located without regard to the aesthetic appearance of the frame.
Further, the fame may be provided with one or more sub-enclosures, each of which houses specific components of the computer. These components are generally interconnected, or connected to other components of the computer, using ribbon cables that extend externally from one sub-enclosure to another sub-enclosure. This likewise may not be aesthetically pleasing.
In order to conceal the various inner workings of the computer, the frame may be provided with a cover, which when installed, gives the computer a finished look. The cover may be given a decorative appearance, using various design configurations, as are known in the art. As such, the computer (with cover installed) can be used in home or office settings, with the cover allowing the computer to blend in with the decor of the home or office.
Covers also provide a barrier between the internal electrical components of the computer and the user. The cover prevents the user from inadvertently coming in contact with a high-temperature or high-powered component through openings in the frame, thus protecting the user from accidental injury.
Further, covers help protect the components located within the frame from environmental contamination, such as from dust or a spilled liquid. For example, should a user inadvertently spill a glass of water on the computer, the cover will provide a barrier that will help prevent the water from coming in contact with the internal components.
Additionally, covers provide sound barriers that help to muffle any noise generated by the components within the computer. For example, cooling blowers or fans are often used within the computer frame to cool the high-powered components located within the computer. These cooling blowers tend to generate a substantial amount of noise, which may be annoying to the user of the computer or to others working in the vicinity of the computer. The cover helps to contain this noise.
Typically, the frame has a rectangular box shape (i.e., parallelepiped), with the cover usually covering a front of the fame, two opposing sides of the fame, and a top of the fame. This amount of coverage has generally been deemed sufficient to give the computer the desired finished look, while providing an adequate barrier (both acoustical and physical) between the computer components and the user.
The cover is typically comprised of a plurality of panels arranged at right angles to one another. The panels may be permanently connected to one another to form a unitary structure that slides over and is fastened to the frame. Alternatively, the cover may be comprised of one or more separate panels, each of which is separately fastened to the frame. Covers that are comprised of separate panels are often used for covering large frames, since a large, unitary cover is more difficult to manufacture, store, and transport.
Typically, the cover is fastened to the underlying frame using a plurality of fasteners. This provides a secure connection between the cover and the frame and helps to prevent the cover from rattling against the frame when subject to vibrations. For example, spring clips may be used to connect the panels of the cover to the frame. However, spring clips may not provide a sufficiently secure connection between the cover panels and the frame and may easily loosen or break. Further, spring clips are generally pressed into corresponding holes located on the frame. In order to engage the spring clips with the holes, a user may tend to pound on the cover in a jarring manner. If this occurs while the computer is operating, the hard drive of the computer may skip or be damaged, or other components located within the frame may be knocked loose or damaged. Alternatively, screw fasteners may be used to fix the cover to the frame. Screw fasteners provide for a more secure connection than spring clips. However, installing and removing screw fasteners is more labor-intensive than using spring clips. Therefore, a need exists for a cover which can be installed or removed from a frame, without jarring of the internal components, even while the computer is operating.
The number of fasteners needed generally depends on the number of panels the cover has, and the size of the panels. When attaching a plurality of large cover panels to the frame, many fasteners are needed to hold each panel securely against the frame. However, typically the fasteners can be seen by the user after they are installed, which detracts from the aesthetic appearance of the computer. Further, when screw fasteners are used, the installation and removal of such a large number of screw fasteners is labor-intensive. Therefore, a need exists for a cover that can be securely and easily fixed to a frame using a minimal number of fasteners, each of which is hidden from view.
For security reasons, it may be also be desirable to protect the components located within the frame of the computer from potential theft. For example, memory chips located upon a memory riser card within the computer are usually easily removable. Since memory chips are relatively expensive, and may be usable in other computers, these memory chips are susceptible to theft. Further, hard drives within the computer often contain sensitive, confidential information. By removing the hard drive from the computer, a thief can access the information on the hard drive at his convenience. Therefore, a need exists for a cover that can be locked to a frame, so that the components within the frame cannot be accessed without first unlocking the cover.
It may also be desirable to prevent use of the computer from unauthorized individuals. For example, as mentioned above, the computer hard drive may contain sensitive, confidential information. If an unauthorized person wanted to access this information, rather than removing the hard drive, the person would only need to turn the computer on and access the information in the normal manner. Therefore, a need exists for a cover that can be locked to prevent use of the computer by unauthorized users.